Manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum



NOV. 28, 1933. E' J. KESSLER MANUFACTURE OF' MOLDED INLAID LINOLEUII 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1931 INVENTOR 'KMAH Nov. 28, 1933. E. J. KEssLER IANUFACTURE OF MOLDED INLAID LINOLEUM Filed March 17, 1951 4 sheets-sheet 3 fik/9120.

INVENTOR Nov. 28, 1933. E 1 KESSLER MANUFACTURE oF MOLDED INLAID LINoLEuM Filed March 17, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR EW 5. mm,

@SWL .malf- Patented Nov. 28, 1933 NETE STATS PATENT Fries g MANUFACTURE OF MOLDED INLAID LNOLEUM Application March 17, 1931. Serial No. 523,230

12 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum. In the manufacture of inlaid linoleum, la backing as of burlap is fed along a bed intermittently beneath stencil plates having openings through which granulated linoleum mix or color is strickled by workmen. The stencil plates are arranged to be raised and lowered, the operation being such that when they are lowered to operative position, color is fed through them. The stencils are raised and the backing is fed forward a unit distance. It then comes to rest and the operation is repeated. The standard practice in the linoleum industry is to make the plates unit length and to space them a distance equal to such unit length. Unit lengths of 36 inches and 54 inches are employed.

This constant spacing, as heretofore practiced,

has been necessary, in view of the arrangement of the various components of the design on the stencil plates. It will be seen that a distance of 54 inches between each stencil plate necessitates a machine of considerable overall dimensions and involves a large amount of valuable Vfloor space, so that if the spacing between the stencil plates could be decreased, a material economyl would be effected. I provide a method of arranging the components of the design on the stencil plates, whereby the spacing between the stencils is greatly reduced.

In the manufacture of piece goods, color is strickled through each stencil after eachvmovement of the goods, diierent colors being supplied through different stencils so as to ll out the pattern. IThis limits the patterns to those whose repeat distance is 54 inches (or 36 inches) or a fraction such as a half or a third thereof.

I am further able by the invention to manufacture rugs whose lengths are multiples of the unit length. In this, as in the manufacture of piece goods, I depart from the usual arrangement of the stencils and the usual order of supplying color therethrough. Instead of the stencils having the usual effective spacing of 54 inches, I give them a different spacing. This necessitates an adjustment of the position of the openings in different stencils as compared with the position which they would normally occupy. For example, considering a unit length of material and the formation, say, of a two-color figure in the middle thereof, the stencil opening for the application of one of said colors would normally lie in the middle of the stencil plate, and the stencil opening for supplying the other color would correspondingly lie, in the ordinary machine, in the middle of a succeeding stencil plate.

However, since the effective spacing of the plates proper is, by my invention, made different from the length of a step of movement of the material, it is necessary to offset the openings in the stencils so that they have an actual spacing on C@ the machine such as to insure registry of the stencils with the goods.

If there is an opening in one stencil for forming a given pattern element, and an opening lin another stencil for a pattern element spaced from Q5 the first-mentioned pattern element, the openings in the stencils, when the same are on the machine must have a spacing corresponding to the length of a step or steps of movement, plus the spacing of the pattern portions in the material.

In thedrawings,

Figures 1 to 11, inclusive, illustrate diagrammatically in plan View a series yof stencils, showing the arrangement of the stencilplates and 7,5 cuts or panels therein and the successive steps-in forming a design in accordance with the present method;

Figure l2 shows the completed design; l

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic View in side eleva- 80 tion of the molded inlaid table showing the'spacing of the stencils; and

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic view of a modification, illustrating the various steps in the manufacture of a rug. r

In the following description of the specific embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 114 of the drawings, I refer throughout to an installation wherein the unit distance is 54 inches, but it will be understood that the same principle may be applied in machines having another unit distance, say 36 inches.

In the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum,

a burlap backing 2 (see Figure 13) is Vcarried through the machine by the customary pin bands 3 which are arranged to move the burlap forward in a step-by-step manner. The backing is ad# vanced the standard unit distance at each step.

As above stated, it has heretofore been standard practice to space the stencils the unit distance apart. This refers to the spacing between the effective portions of the stencils, it being understood, of course, that there will be marginal space on each plate so as to simplify strickling of the color.

Figures 1 to 1l inclusive illustrate a series of stencils, made according to the present invention, employed for producing a part of a running design. The various elements which goto make up the design are designated A to L inclusive with 110 one special inset gure. The several pattern elements, are outlined by an interliner W representing a mortar joint. Each pattern element is formed by applying color through a stencil having a cut-out portion corresponding to the shape of the desired figure. There is a different stencil plate for each color and each stencil opening must not only be of the proper size and shape, but must also be properly located so that it will lie in registry with the previouslyand afterapplied portions of the pattern.

It will be understood that a portion only of the pattern is illustrated so as to simplify the showing, and that the stencils will have a number of openings therein in addition to those illustrated. It will be further understood that as many inset figures may be employed as is desired.

To more clearly illustrate the invention, the several stencils of Figures 1 to 11 inclusive have been divided by dotted lines into twelve panels designated ato Z inclusive. The particular portion of the design with which we are here concerned lies mostly in the panels b and c of Figure 1, although portions thereof lie in the panels a, d, c, f, g and h. If the stencils are to have an effective spacing of 54 inches, as is standard practice, the several stencils for the different colors, if piled on top of one another, would register in the vertical direction, and the outlines of the several cut-out portions, if projected vertically, would form a design such as shown in Fig. 1. By an eifective spacing of 54 inches, I mean a space of 54 inches from the marginal line M1 of a stencil such as that shown in Figure 1 to the adjacent marginal line M2 in the succeeding stencil such a-s shown in Figure 2.

Let us consider the elements A and C of the pattern. The stencil for forming them is shown in Figure 2. It will be noted that if the stencils were cut according to standard practice the openings for the pattern elements A and C in the stencil of Figure 2 would lie approximately 18 inches from the margin line M1. It will be seen, however, that they in fact lie a distance of approximately 36 inches from such margin line. The row of panels a, b, c and d, instead of lying at the right-hand side of the stencil space, lies in the middle thereof. The panels e, f, g and h have been displaced to the left side of the stencil space, and the panels i, 7', k and Z have been moved to the right side thereof. It is necessary that the spacing of the stencil openings for the pattern elements A and C in Figure 2 Abe spaced from the corresponding stencil portions A vand C in Figure 1 a distance of 54 inches, or a multiple thereof. In standard practice, such portionswould be spaced 108 inches apart, because there is a dead space of 54 inches betweensuccessive stencils. However, by moving the stencil openings A and C of Figure 2 to the position shown, the spacing may be reduced to 54 inches. This brings the margin line Ml of Figure 1 to a point only 18 inches away from the margin line M2 of Figure 2, a saving of 36 inches longitudinally of the machine. Figures 1 and 2 are spaced apart in the drawings in an amount equal to the width of a panel, and, therefore, illustrate the nearness of the plates to one another.

Now considering Figure 3, there are shown stencil openings corresponding to the portions B and D of the pattern. The row of panels a, b, c and d in the stencil plate of Figure 3 has been displaced to the left side of the plate; the panels e, f, g and h lie to the right side thereof, and the panels z', 7', k and Z lie in the center thereof. The margin line M2 of the stencil in Figure 3 is spaced only 13.

nesaevs inches from the margin line M1 of Figure 2. Hence the stencil openings B and D of Figure 3 are spaced the width of six of the small panels from the corresponding stencil portions B and D of Figure 1; that is to say, 108 inches. On the first movement of the goods from a position under the stencil of Figure 1, a portion thereof, which formerly lay under the stencil portions A and C of Figure 1, lies below the openings A and C of Figure 2, and on the next movement of the goods, portions which lay beneath the stencil portions B and D of Figure 1 lie beneath the stencil openings B and D of Figure 2. In this manner the entire design is filled out, the several stencil plates being cut as indicated in Figures 5 to 7 inclusive, at which time the pattern is completed except for the inset.

Figures 8 to 11 inclusive illustrate the formation of the inset figure. Here again the panels into which the stencil plates have been sub-divided are displaced for the purpose of bringing the plates relatively close together. Figure 8 shows a stencil for the formation of a border for the inset iigure. The body portion of the inset is made with the stencil of Figure 9. It will be noted that the cutout portions of the stencils in Figures 8 and 9 are spaced 108 inches apart. Therefore, a border portion will be formed by the stencil of Figure 8, which border portion will move forward 54 inches to a. position between the stencils of Figures 9 and 10 on the next movement of the goods. When the goods again move forward this border portion will be positioned under the cut-out of the stencil of Figure 9 so as to receive color for the body of the inset. On the next 54-inch movement, the inset will lie beneath the cut-out portion of the stencil in Figure 10, whereby a cruciform pattern is formed; and on the next movement, the small dot in the center of the inset will be filled in. A portion of the finished material is illustrated in Figure 12.

Figures 13 and 14 illustrate the steps taken in manufacturing a rug whose length is a multiple of 54 inches. The rug which it is desired to produce is shown at part C of Figure 14 complete insofar as the application of color to the burlap is concerned. This rug is 108 inches long, and is symmetrical about the ycenter line X. A'set of stencils is provided for supplying color for each half of the rug. The stencils forming the left-hand end are marked 4Z to 6l inclusive and the stencils for forming the right-hand end are correspondingly marked 41' to 6r inclusive.

I have shown for the sake of clearness only those stencils for forming the design portions of the rug and haveomitted the stencils for 'forming the'background, but it Will be understood that for the manufacture of the main body of the rug each half is formed by vapplication of color through a series of stencils.

For the sake of convenience in operation the corresponding stencils in theseries are arranged side by side. This simplifies the supplying of color to the stencil plates since the stencils 4Z and 4r both require color from the same batch. In the particular case shown, granulated linoleum mix will be supplied through the stencils 4Z and 4r. The arrangement of the stencils in pairs also permits of a more rapid check on alinement and also makes it possible to use color of substantially the same gravity in each plate of a pair. As is well known, the gravity of the mix must change progressively from one end of the table to the other and if it were attempted to form one end of the rug alone by a single series of stencils placed adjacent one another, there would have to be for the example given two .mixes of each color, the gravity of the color for forming one end of the rug being diferentfrom that of the gravity of the mix for forming the other end.

.'Ihe stencils 5l and 51' are of the divided type more specifically described and claimed in the copending application of Charles F. Humphreys, Serial No. 363,758, iiled May 17, 1929. In the illustration given in the drawings, eachv stencil 5l and 5r is divided into two areas by a division wall 7 and lavender color is fed through that portion of the stencil marked 8 while orange color is supplied through that part marked 9. Both colors are strickled through the stencils 5l and 5r after a given movement of the goods. Purple color is supplied through the stencils 6l and 6r and to complete the design there remains to be supplied small patches l0 of yellow in each corner of the rug and Figures 1l of pink in the central medallion portion thereof.

In order to apply these, a special stencil l2 is provided and whereas the remaining stencils are adapted to apply color at any one time to only one 54 inch unit of the material, the'stencil 12a is so placed that when a 54 inch unit of material is under each of the other stencils on the table, the stencil 12 lies over half the area of vtwo adjacent unit lengths. To state it another way, the center line X of the design is in register with the center line X of the stencil plate 12a. It will be seen that with the goods in this position, color may be strickled through the central portion 13 of the stencil 12a so as to fill out the medallion in the center of the rug.

Consideration of the operation will show that each of the stencils 4 to 6 inclusive will be used only after every other movement of the goods. For example, the stencil 4Z will be employed to supply green color to a section of backing, then the next unit length will be left blank so far as the stencil il is concerned, this unit length being filled with ller by the stencils in the r series.

If we consider the material as being made up of unit lengths consecutively numbered, it will be seen that when the odd numbered lengths lie under the stencils the even numbered lengths li therebetween, and of course, the stencils in the Z series will be used to supply color to the odd numbered lengths while the stencils in the r series will be used to supply color to the even numbered lengths.

From the forego-ing it will be seen that so far as the stencils 4 to 6 inclusive are concerned, they will be used to supply color to unit lengths which are spaced at intervals corresponding to the number of series of stencils. In the example given, there are two series or stencils, the Z series for the left-hand end of the rug and the 1' series for the right-hand end of the rug. every second movement o1" the goods. If there were three series of stencils as for the manufacture of a rug 162 inches long, each stencil would be operated after every third movement of the goods.

The stencil 12a is of the divided type, having division walls 14, and color is supplied through this stencil after each movement of the goods, one color being supplied through the central portion l3 of the stencil at one movement of the goods and other color being supplied through the outer portion of the stencil after the succeeding movement of the goods so as to iill in the corners of the design. As in the embodiment of Each stencil is therefore operated afterv Figuresl to 11., this stencil is spacediromthe plying a very large number of colors. YIt is also "possible by the Use of the stencil 12a to tie the two halves of a rug design together or to otherwise connect different unit lengths of a pattern so as to aid in the production of a coherent unitary design.

The invention is not limited to the specific designs shown nor to the sequence of operations as set forthfin't'ne description and claims. will be understood that the specic description is by way of example only, and that the invention may be otherwise embodied or practicedwithin the scope of the following claims.v

I claim: f l. Apparatus for the manufacture of molded inlaidlinoleum comprising va plurality of stencil plates, means for moving a backing thereunder `in `a step-by-step mannen the stencils having openings therein cooperating to form the pattern, the openings in diierent stencils being spaced distances corresponding to the spacing of corresponding pattern portions in the linoleum, plus the length of a step or steps, the stencil plates having an effective spacing other than the length of a step.

2. Apparatus for the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of stencil plates, means for moving a backing thereunder in a step-by-stepmanner, the stencils having openings therein cooperating to form the pattern, the openings in diierent stencils being spaced distances corresponding to the spacing of corresponding pattern portions in the linoleum, plus the length of a step or steps, the stencil plates having an effective spacing less than the length or" a step.

3. Apparatus for the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of stencil plates for the formation of a pattern, the openings in the stencil plates being so formed that if the stencil plates are stacked in such manner that the projections of the openings lie in the proper relationship to one another at least one stencil in the stack is offset from another.

4. Apparatus for the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of related stencils having openings therein, there being a stencil having an opening for forming a pattern element in a given position on a unit length or material, and there being another stencil having an opening for forming an adjacent pattern element, the openings in the two stencils being oiset so that if the stencils are placed over the material with the openings in registry with the pattern elements formed thereby, the effective limits of the stencil define different unit lengths of material.

5. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum, the steps consisting in applying granular color through stencils to dineren-t unit lengths of backing material to form different designs on different units.

6. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum, the steps consisting in applying granular color through stencils to different unit lengths of backing material to form different designs on diierent units, at least some of said different designs being symmetrically arranged. 7. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum, the steps consisting in applying granular color through stencils to different unit lengths of backing material to form different designs on diierent units, and applying color simultaneously to different units.

8. In the method of making inlaid linoleum rugs, the steps consisting in applying color through stencils to different unit lengths of backing material, thus forming one-half the rug pattern on each vof two adjacent unit lengths, and severing the rugs thus produced.

9. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of stencils having openings therethrough for the application of granular color to a backing, the openings being so shaped that the application of color therethrough Will form a patterned design on the backing, the stencils being unequally spaced.

10. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of stencils having openings therethrough for the application of.v

granular color to a backing, the openings being so shaped that the application of color therethrough will form a patterned design on the backing, the stencils being unequally spaced, and means for moving the goods in a step by step manner through equal spaces under the stencils, the openings in the stencils being so positioned that the color applied through the stencil openings on successive step movements of the goods is applied in such positions as to form the de` sired design.

11. Apparatus for the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of stencil plates of unit length, the plates having openings therethrough for the application of granular color to a backing and of such form that there is thereby obtained on the backing a design consisting of pattern elements of less than the unit length, the effective spacing of the stencil plates being less than unit length.

12. Apparatus for the manufacture of molded inlaid linoleum comprising a plurality of stencil plates of unit length, the plates having openings .therethrough for the application of granular color to a backing and of such form that there is thereby obtained on the backing a design consisting of pattern elements of less than the unit length, the eiective spacing of the stencil plates being less than unit length, and means for moving a backing under such stencil plates in a step by step manner.

EDWARD J. KESSLER. 

